of foreign arms to the Arabian peninsula began in earnest 150 years ago. As European armies adopted modern breech-loading rifles, a stock of old-fashioned weapons was left surplus to requirements. Rivalries among Arab tribes created a ready-made market for ageing arms. A combination of the region’s chronic instability and oil riches has since continued to fuel weapons sales. Most of them still come from the West. Now the shifting sands of geopolitics have left an opening for others.
A growing share of these revenues comes from the Middle East. In 2014-18 the region received a third of the world’s arms exports, second only to Asia Pacific, according to. Countries there imported 87% more weapons in that period than they had in the previous five years. In 2018 Saudi Arabia splurged $68bn on military kit, more than anyone bar America and China. The United Arab Emirates was the seventh-biggest spender in 2014-18; tiny Qatar and Oman made the top 20.
Most Middle Eastern cash goes on air power. Buying, arming and maintaining combat jets is an expensive business, accounting for nearly two-thirds of global exports in the past decade. Saudi Arabia has amassed the world’s eighth-largest fleet of combat aircraft.
Peter Navarro, President Donald Trump’s trade adviser, has complained that the Wing Loong II, made by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, is a “a clear knock-off” of the Predator drone built by America’s General Atomics . Rainbow-4 drones, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, look an awful lot like’s smaller Reaper. Mr Trump has sought to ease restrictions on exports of the American models.
No wonder.
If you don’t pay bribes you can’t compete. 🏴🇬🇧
It is American imperialistic paradigm: everybody fights against everybody, nobody fights the US, the US just sells the arms
So that’s about 10x more protection per Capita ... than the rest hey!!
The US could pull the rug out from under China at any time. Who will defend it's supply lines? China can't.
alllibertynews I hope the People's Republic of China, Islamic Republic of Iran & Russian Federation BOMB the White House, the Congress, the Pentagon & the Military Industrial Complex. I hope this capitalist, imperialist, European settler-state occupation of stolen indigenous land is DESTROYED
We know China & Russia are always wanting to sell their weapon, but we still believe USA has the best quality in the world. Besides, USA is the best country on earth, USA will never want to control you or own you. One can just relax w USA if I have the power of choices.
If u were in a room filled with gasoline, would it be wise to sale matches to people in this room?What impact would you expect? Will it make the future a safer or more dangerous place? Stop the madness. Stop the proliferation of weapons of war. GivePeaceAChance
No shortage of wasteful shieks if commissions are good.
Great more arms.. Mofe deaths we can kiss peace goodbye.. Yipeeee lets kill one another!!!!
That’s a Typhoon! Not an aircraft from a non western power.
Why do we allow these death predators to make this crap? All military tech should be made illegal. Let em make space crafts, space stations, Mars habitats, just not weapons.